Activities at Glebefields Care Home

This week we celebrated the Islamic holiday Eid ul-Adha, which takes place over four days from 9th-13th July.

It’s been a week of enlightenment for us all. Our residents have enjoyed Eid related arts and crafts to help decorate the home before today’s celebrations whereby several members of staff joined the residents in traditional dress, and provided us all with the history of Eid.

Eid ul-Adha honours the willingness of Ibrahim to sacrifice his son Ismail as an act of obedience to God’s command. Before Ibrahim could sacrifice his son however, Allah provided a lamb for him to sacrifice instead.

General Manager, Nisha commented; “Eid is such an important event in the Islamic calendar, we all enjoyed watching our staff dance, and learning the prayers to give thanks to Allah during the ceremonies within our home.”

What a fabulous day, full of swinging songs from Bill Tustain with his mixture of 50's to 70's music. Our residents and staff thoroughly enjoyed his show. We look forward to him entertaining us again very soon!

Celebrations have been in full swing at Glebefields Care Home, as one of its residents reaches 102 years young!

Christine Brookes was born on 29th June 1920 in Bridgewater, Somerset. The family moved to Swindon when she was just two. From a very young age Christine showed talent in many things, she learned to play the piano as a child, and later also played the organ in her local church.

Christine is a wonderful lady, loved by all at Glebefields. As she met with her family during her birthday celebrations they took time to reflect on her amazing life and reminisce on her achievements.

During the Second World War she served in the National Fire Service in Swindon. She met her husband; Reg, a recently de-mobbed soldier at a dance just after the war and they moved to North Wales. The marriage produced five children.

Sadly, Reg died in 1962. Christine later remarried and with her new husband; Les became ballroom dancing teachers, and competed in ballroom dancing competitions across the UK and Europe, becoming the Great Britain Amateur Champions two years running! The dynamic dancing duo also appeared in the period drama S4C Welsh language TV film ‘Madam Wen’ (The White Lady).

Now, in her centenarian years, Christine is registered blind, and lives the next chapter of her life at Glebefields, no longer donning her dancing sequins she can still set the room alight with her smile.

Today, our residents enjoyed indoor floor games which included skittles and balloon basketball before, the talented Helen, one of our residents enjoyed tickling the ivories and evoking lovely memories for her, and the small crowd her playing drew. For someone who hasn't played in such a long time, Helen was a natural performer

Our staff and residents brewed up a storm for National Cream Tea Day on June 24th by hosting an afternoon tea party. Chef, and the hospitality team provided a wonderful selection of baked treats and of course, lots of pots of tea.

Refusing to pick a side in the controversial debate of cream before jam for the Cornish tradition or jam before cream as part of the Devonshire tradition, we all enjoyed homemade scones both ways, all washed down with a perfectly brewed cup of tea!

Nisha, General Manager at Glebefields said: “I don’t think there is a better way to celebrate the arrival of summer than with a cream tea. We’ve all had so much fun today and the cream tea was absolutely delicious.”

We’re welcoming new residents to our beautifully refurbished home. If you fancy an afternoon tea with friends, please call the team to book a show round, we’ll happily lay on a wonderful spread for you.

Our youngest visitor, the delightful Isla had our lady residents cooing with joy. Barbara, Sheila, Helen and Marlene couldn't resist her beautiful smile, they were over the moon to spend time in her company.

Mum Kelly, a carer at Glebefields worked throughout her pregnancy and now, little Isla, aged 11 months popped in for some long awaited cuddles.

The ladies passed on lots of tried and tested advise to Kelly, from teething tips to getting food stains out of her bibs. It's so wonderful to have these precious intergenerational moments.

She's such a poppet, we all look forward to seeing Isla again and watching her grow.